IP connection processing device

• US 20040158639A1
• Filed: 12/24/2003
• Published: 08/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Matsumoto, Yuji, Nakatsugawa, Keiichi, Takusagawa, Hideaki
• Granted Patent: US 7,698,436 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/229
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/162 at the data link layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/033 of the user plane, e.g. user's traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]

Abstract

The invention is directed to the provision of an IP connection processing device and, more particularly, to an IP connection processing device that, upon completion of user authentication, initiates a connection to an IP network in a designated area constructed by a wireless LAN or the like. The IP connection processing device, which processes the connection to the IP network that requires user authentication for connection to the network, comprises: detecting means for detecting authentication completion; acquiring means for acquiring an authentication result; and IP connection means for initiating or resuming the IP connection processing upon detection of the authentication completion. The IP connection means, upon detection of the authentication completion, requests IP address information from the IP network, and acquires an IP address of its own based on the information returned by the IP network.

Claims

1. An IP connection processing device, for processing a connection to an IP network that requires user authentication for connection to the network, comprising:

detecting means for detecting authentication completion; and

IP connection means for initiating or resuming IP connection processing, upon detection of the authentication completion.

3. An IP connection processing device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the IP connection device comprises:

an IP processing section which performs the IP connection processing;

an authentication processing section which performs authentication processing; and

a high-speed IP connection processing section which requests the authentication processing section to detect authentication completion and which, upon detection of the authentication completion, issues an instruction to the IP processing section to initiate or resume the IP connection processing.

4. An IP connection processing device as claimed in claim 3 wherein, instead of requesting the authentication processing section to detect authentication completion, the high-speed IP connection processing section detects the authentication completion by intercepting input information on the way to the authentication processing section and, upon detection of the authentication completion, issues an instruction to the IP processing section to initiate or resume the IP connection processing.

5. An IP connection processing device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the high-speed IP connection processing section includes a device driver which performs the interception, or another driver which performs the interception between the device driver and an operating system containing the authentication processing section.

6. An IP connection processing device as claimed in claim 3, wherein for processing performed with an operating system containing the authentication processing section and the IP processing section, the high-speed IP connection processing section utilizes an API of the operating system.

7. An IP connection processing device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the IP processing section, in response to the instruction, requests IP address information from the IP network, and acquires an IP address of its own based on the information returned by the IP network.

8. An IP connection processing device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the high-speed IP connection processing section, upon detection of the authentication completion, makes an request to the IP network to acquire IP address information, instead of issuing an instruction to the IP processing section to initiate or resume the IP connection processing, and

the IP processing section acquires an IP address of its own from the information returned by the IP network.

9. An IP connection processing device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

means for detecting a failure of user authentication; and

means for inhibiting the IP connection processing after detecting the authentication failure.

10. An IP connection processing device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the means for inhibiting the IP connection processing includes an access restriction table for managing access enable/disable for each access port.

17. An IP connection processing device as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 11, wherein the IP connection processing is initiated when connecting to an access network, and is resumed when moving into a different access network.

2. An IP connection processing device, for processing a connection to an IP network that requires user authentication for connection to the network, comprising:

detecting means for detecting authentication completion;

acquiring means for acquiring an authentication result; and

IP connection means for initiating or resuming IP connection processing, upon successful completion of the authentication.

11. An IP connection processing device, for processing a connection to an IP network that requires user authentication for connection to the network, comprising:

detecting means for detecting a packet containing an encryption key used for communication with an access point; and

IP connection means for initiating or resuming IP connection processing, upon detection of the packet containing the encryption key.

12. An IP connection processing device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the IP connection device comprises:

an IP processing section which performs the IP connection processing;

an encryption key management section which manages the encryption key; and

a high-speed IP connection processing section which intercepts input information on the way to the encryption key management section and which, upon detection of the encryption key, issues an instruction to the IP processing section to initiate or resume the IP connection processing.

13. An IP connection processing device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the high-speed IP connection processing section includes a device driver which performs the interception, or another driver which performs the interception between the device driver and an operating system containing the encryption management section.

14. An IP connection processing device as claimed in claim 12 wherein, for processing performed with an operating system containing the encryption key management section and the IP processing section, the high-speed IP connection processing section utilizes an API of the operating system.

15. An IP connection processing device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the IP processing section, in response to the instruction, requests IP address information from the IP network, and acquires an IP address of its own based on the information returned by the IP network.

16. An IP connection processing device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the high-speed IP connection processing section, upon detection of the encryption key, makes an request to the IP network to acquire IP address information, instead of issuing an instruction to the IP processing section to initiate or resume the IP connection processing, and

the IP processing section acquires an IP address of its own from the information returned by the IP network.